Wishing you all much success for your films on the festival circuit!

Dear filmmakers friends do not miss these Festivals in Focus. The next eBlast is January 30 with more festivals to follow.

IN FOCUS

discover.film offers the best short films that you want to watch and the best film networking opportunities (see https://discover.film or register for free in our networking community at https://discover.film/register). The discover film short film competition is focused on finding the most entertaining short films according to our film making community and panel of expert judges. Selected films will be screened at a London cinema in April 2016 with an exclusive red carpet networking event. We have awards including professional subscriptions, mentoring opportunities (production, marketing, distribution) as well as fantastic publicity from our media partners and the opportunity to meet investors.

Short Film Connection

A short film community dedicated to providing resources and listings for short films and short film festivals. The goals of the current version of the site are:

1. to provide entertainment and information for film lovers Anyone who loves to watch movies and short films can easily find entertainment on SFC. Our site has handpicked some of the best films on the web. Additionally, we have classified the movies and provided search tools to help viewers quickly and easily find entertainment that suits their preferences.

2. to provide useful resources for short film producers and festival organizers For short film producers SFC not only provides a platform for promoting your work, but also lists hundreds of film festivals to which your film can be submitted.

> PARTNERS FESTIVALS IN FOCUS

May 1, 2016 Early Deadline

Submissions are now open for the 2016 Calgary International Film Festival, which runs from September 21 - October 2, 2016.The Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF) is a 12-day showcase of up to 200 multi-genre films from Canada and over 40 other countries.

Twelve New Categories this year/ Best Independent Trailer (under a million), Golden Fleece Foreign, Best Foreign Independent Trailer, Best Foreign Music Trailer, Best Foreign Thriller Trailer, Best Foreign Trashiest, Best Foreign Teaser, Best Sound Editing TV Spot, Best Teaser TV Spot, Best Radio/Audio Spot, Best Trailer for Legit Theater or Broadway Trailer, Best Trailer for a book or novel

Early Bird January 31, 2016

The Wiper Film Festival is the premiere online film festival and includes an NYC screening. Your work will have the opportunity to be seen by more than 18 millions users around the globe.

There is no fee to submit and have your work considered. There are cash grants for Curator’s Choice and Fan Choice winners in each category. Wiper also provides free advertising and promotion budget to its top films.

April 27 to May 1, 2016!

Late deadline February 15, 2016

NYC Independent Film Festival is a celebration of the true independent filmmaker, documentaries, short and feature-length films, music videos, and animation. Whether a submission is comedic, dramatic, or something in between, The NYC Indie film Fest is eager to embrace fresh ideas and storytelling.

In addition to showcasing the best indie films to the entertainment industry and the NYC public, the festival will also offer a variety of prizes. During the 6th Annual Festival we gave away prizes with a total cash value of over 28,000 USD.

All screenings take place in the historic center of NYC, Time Square which is the perfect home for an event geared toward creating incredible opportunities for independent voices.

Early Bird deadline February 5, 2016

The 12th Annual HollyShorts Film Festival and Film Conference/Film Market, scheduled for August 11-20, 2016 at the world famous TCL Chinese 6 Theatres, is now accepting submissions. (www.withoutabox.com/login/4655) HSFF, 4 times named to MovieMaker Magazine “Top 25 Fests Worth the Entry Fee” lists, has featured over 400 projects showcasing stars and filmmakers including Sofia Loren, Bill Plympton, Anthony and Joe Russo, and Felicia Day.

In 2015, HSFF awarded over $150,000 in prizes, including $60,000 in post services courtesy of COMPANY 3 and METHOD STUDIOS for Best Short, Director, Music Video, Cinematography, VFX, and Commercial, and $15,000 Grand Prize cash courtesy of ZYPE. www.hollyshorts.com

Earlybird Deadline January 17, 2015

In 2016, WoFF returns for its third edition with great energy and ideas, generated from a wonderful 2015 festival.

Our focus remains on independent cinema from all around the globe, by showcasing the work of first feature filmmakers and female directors in our two main sections, First Features and The Female Perspective, respectively.

Deadline Extended

New York Festival's World's Best TV & Films competition honors programming in all lengths and forms from over 50 countries. Dedicated to both the Television and Film industries, categories mirror today's global trends and encourage the next generation of story-tellers and talent: Animation, Comedy, Corporate, Drama, Documentary, Feature Films, Movie Trailers, Music Videos, News, Promos, Reality TV Drama, Sports, Telenovelas, Webisodes, Best Performance by an Actor/Actress, Special Event, Innovation, Technical Production Team, CSR, Best Screenplay, Video Art, and Best Host.

Submissions close April 15, 2016

In partnership with filmfestivals.com

Montreal International Animation Film Festival is a people's film festival an dindutry conference dedicated to the art of animation for film and technology.
All genres and forms are welcome.
Software an award prize. Visibility in out travelling show in Berlin, Cannes Annecy, Glasgow and more.

PROMOTE YOUR FILM AND GET READY FOR THE FESTIVAL CIRCUIT.

We can offer Festival consulting and marketing services to fit your film ambitions.

- The 500€ Festival Fast Track

The Festival Fast Track service offers you a presence in the film showcase page with links and video streaming. The Film promotion Showcase is a combination of online services, (charged 500€ or about $690) that will bring recognition from our international audience who trust us as the only international media totally dedicated to the festival circuit. The Film promotion Showcase includes all those features:

The 25th Anniversary New York Jewish Film Festival 2016 (NYJFF16) N.Y. Premiere of HOW TO WIN ENEMIES (COMO GANAR ENEMIGOS), directed by Gabriel Lichtmann was held at the Walter Reade Theater, Thursday, January 21st followed by a Q&A session with director Lichtmann, moderated by digital marketing associate Alexander Hunt, Film Society of Lincoln Center.

Questions posed to Lichtmann by Hunt included: The film's book ended by a line how to win enemies by telling the truth. What that line means to you and where that came from? Why did you set out to create a film based on that structure, creating mystery? What filmmakers left a large impact on you growing up leading any influence on this kind of film? I'm curious about your intent towards the tone of the film.

The Forum now completes its programme with a series of Special Screenings that run the gamut between a monumental travelogue, newly unearthed film historical gems and works that grapple with both cinema and its history.

Artist Ulrike Ottinger embarked on a journey from Alaska via Chukchi to Kamchatka on the trail of Adelbert von Chamisso, James Cook and other early world explorers. Like her predecessors, she kept a logbook that bears the mark of her ethnographic and artistic interests, which also appear in images: water, fish, sea otters, stones, volcanoes, the tundra, houses, villages, photographs, objects, maps. The people she meets talk about their lives and about the past and the present. Ottinger’s twelve-hour film Chamissos Schatten (Chamisso’s Shadow) opens this year’s Forum with a mammoth screening at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele on February 12. At the end of the festival, this unparalleled work will be repeated in three separate parts at CineStar at Potsdamer Platz.

Under the title "Hachimiri Madness – Japanese Indies from the Punk Years", the Forum is showing a series of newly digitised and subtitled Japanese 8-mm films from 1977 to 1990 which breathe the rebellious spirit of that era. Many of the highest profile directors Japan has to offer today made their debut features in this format – very few of them have ever been shown internationally. The series was jointly curated by Keiko Araki (PIA Tokyo), Jacob Wong (Hong Kong Film Festival) and Christoph Terhechte (Berlinale Forum).

The series includes Sion Sono’s I am Sion Sono!!, in which the then 22-year-old introduced himself to audiences as a punk poet in nonchalant, self-confident style, and Shinya Tsukamoto’s The Adventure of Denchu-Kozo, a hugely creative, wild cyberpunk drama, whilst also taking in the largely unknown early works of directors such as Sogo Ishii (today Gakuryu Ishii), Masashi Yamamoto, Nobuhiro Suwa and Shinobu Yaguchi.

In Yamamoto’s anarchic feature debut Saint Terrorism, a girl in a pink and yellow outfit shoots innocent people at seeming random with a gun concealed in her white handbag, with the bodies being carried off by the uniform-wearing members of a cult. Yaguchi’s wonderfully melancholy The Rain Women has two women ride their bikes through a convenience store, wear out countless umbrellas whilst wandering through the soggy landscape and warble “Singing in the Rain” dressed as a J-Pop duo. And in Suwa’s gangster ballad Hanasaseru Gang, it’s hard to escape the impression that Pierrot le fou has wandered into the Japan of the early 80s.

In their film essay Verfluchte Liebe deutscher Film (Doomed Love - A Journey through German Genre Films), Dominik Graf and Johannes F. Sievert address the question of why genre cinema has such a difficult time in Germany. Drawing on interviews and film excerpts, their recollections also extend to the Munich scene of the 60s and 70s, when Klaus Lemke or Roland Klick acted in cool, physical, violent and dirty films that showed a very different Germany, one teetering on the edge of the abyss.

Rudolf Thome’s idiosyncratic oeuvre was produced with a continuity that is more of an exception than the rule in German cinema – he has shot 28 features over the more than four decades since 1968. His work on the script for film number 29 and his attempts to get financing off the ground form the main threads of Serpil Turhan’s portrait film Rudolf Thome – Überall Blumen (Rudolf Thome – Flowers Everywhere), which consists of conversations and observations at Thome’s home, a former farmyard in Brandenburg. We see him as a gardener, a father, a cyclist and a performer of his own persona.

When the Berlin International Film Festival was launched 66 years ago, there were millions of German refugees and traumatised displaced persons in Europe. The festival made a point of fostering understanding, tolerance and acceptance. Since then, it has always been responsive to current events in society – not only with the film programme, but also with many complementary activities.

Last year 79,034 people sought refuge in the German capital (source: Berlin Senate department of health and social services). They came from Syria, Afghanistan, Iran, Eritrea and many other crisis regions around the world. As a public festival and one of the city’s biggest annual events, the Berlinale feels a responsibility to do its part for Berlin’s culture of welcome.

For many years the Berlinale has promoted participation in cultural life for the socially disadvantaged by offering them tickets at a 50 percent discount, as well as making a quota of free tickets available to low-income people, an initiative run jointly with the non-profit KulturLeben Berlin – Schlüssel zur Kultur e.V. This year the festival is adding several projects aimed specifically at helping refugees.

The Berlinale urges its guests and audiences to make a donation to the non-profit Behandlungszentrum für Folteropfer e.V. (Berlin Center for Torture Victims, http://www.bzfo.de/homeen.html), which provides support for people traumatised by torture, war, migration and persecution. Each year, the bzfo helps more than 500 people. Money collected from the donation boxes placed around the festival venues and in a special betterplace.org donation drive will be used primarily for initiatives aimed at helping them integrate into society, such as a film camp or German courses, as well as providing interpreters for therapy and counselling sessions.

In addition, the “sponsored cinema visit” initiative has asked Berlin’s non-profit refugee aid programmes to nominate volunteers who would like to accompany a refugee to a screening. The aim of the project is to help boost existing acquaintanceships and foster cultural exchange. The Berlinale has also joined with the BBZ Beratungs- und Betreuungszentrum für junge Flüchtlinge und Migranten (support centre for young refugees and migrants) to offer a chance for ten or twenty refugees to spend time in various areas behind the scenes in the festival offices.

Also this year, some of the Welcome Classes (school classes for refugees) will participate in the school project that the festival’s Generation section has mounted for the last ten years in cooperation with Vision Kino. The project’s objective is to involve children and young people in the media dialogue.

As part of the Culinary Cinema’s street food initiative, top Sardinian chef Roberto Petza will work with the refugee initiative “Über den Tellerrand kochen” to serve Mediterranean cuisine from a food truck.

The 14th edition of Mumbai International Festival for Documentary, Short and Animation Films, popularly known as MIFF, will be held between January 28 and February 03, 2016.

MIFF, which began as BIFF (Bombay International Film Festival), became MIFF when the city had a change of name. The biennial festival, restricted to Documentary, Short and Animation Films, with some rare or restored features thrown in, is organised by the Films Division (FD) of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India and supported by the Government of Maharashtra.

Responding to the warm reception last time to the outreach screenings dubbed MIFF Zone, screenings of films in the National Competition section will be held simultaneously in New Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati, Lucknow, Nagpur and Thrissur. International films cannot be screened outside the primary venue because of contractual restrictions.

There are 30 films in the International Competition, including 12 from India, and 27 films in the National Competition, vying for the Golden Conch Award. Cash prizes worth Rs 60 lakh (Rs 6 million) would be distributed for the winners in various categories, along with Golden Conch Awards. In addition, the festival will also honour a veteran personality from the Indian documentary fraternity, with the esteemed V. Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award that carries a cash component of Rs. 5 lakh, a trophy and a citation. Late Shantaram was a reputed film-maker, studio-owner as well as head of Films Division, for a stint.

A total of 385 films will be screened, over 6 days. Screenings will be held at the Films Division’s own theatres, which include the newly built J.B. Hall, the Russian Culture Centre (successor to House of Soviet Culture) and Sophia College theatres, at Peddar Road, Mumbai. Screenings will also be held at the Mumbai University auditorium, Kalina, Mumbai and the state owned television channel premises, Doordarshan (DD) Kendra (Worli). The opening and closing functions will be held at the more spacious Ravindra Natya Mandir, at Prabhadevi.

Addressing the curtain raiser press conference in Mumbai yesterday, the Festival Director Mukesh Sharma said, “MIFF is the oldest and the largest festival of non-feature films in South Asia. We received a record number of 831 entries from 25 countries.” Also present were acclaimed eco-documentary maker and second-term President of the Indian Documentary Producers Association (IDPA) Mike Pandey, the only person to win three Green Oscars, from 800 competitors, and Sidhharth Kak, another acclaimed documentary maker-anchor-actor, also known for his popular and long-running TV series, Surabhi.

One unique feature of MIFF 2016 is the existence of a brand ambassador. In a surprise choice, FD has opted for Jackie Shroff, mass appeal hero of the 80s and early 90s, and a character artiste since then. Speaking on the occasion, Jackie said that his association with the festival will help reach a certain segment of society, but today’s big stars must also promote MIFF, in the days to come. He even expressed a desire to make documentaries himself, on subjects like cross pollination and mental asylums.

When this writer asked Mr. Sharma whether any restored or rare package would be included in this MIFF, he replied that films of the Wadia banner would be shown. To the other question I put him, he replied that Films Division has signed an agreement with the Prasar Bharati Corporation, under which FD documentaries will be shown on the DD Bharati Channel. Mike Pandey added that the Indian Documentary Producers’ Association had also signed a deal with Doordarshan, for regular screenings, which will earn the producer Rs. 2-2.5 lack per showing.

He continued, “Apart from International and National competition, there will be screenings of films in MIFF Prism, Indian Premières, Jury retrospectives, Animation, and award winning films from different countries, Children’s documentary films, North East package, FD and Public Service Broadcasting Trust (PSBT) films, homages, special packages from leading international documentary film festivals, like Berlin, Dresden, DokLeipzig from Germany and Leiria, from Portugal.”

Some of the best documentaries of 2015 have made it to MIFF 2016--among them, Mohammed Ali Naqvi and Hemal Trivedi’s “Among the Believers” about the roots of religious extremism in Pakistani madrasas, and Joshua Oppenheimer’s “The Look of Silence” -a Danish documentary about Indonesian killings of 1965-66 and Rinku Kalsy’s ‘For the Love of a Man’ – a documentary about the cult of adulation for superstar Rajanikanth in South India.

Mike Pandey

The International Jury for the Festival comprises prominent documentary makers Don Askarian from Germany, Jesper Andersen from Denmark, Mathiue Roy of Canada, Siddharth Kak and Gitanjali Rao. Mike Pandey, Uma DaCunha, Biju Dhanapalan, Audrius Stonys (Lithuania) and Jane Yu (Taiwan) are the members of the National Jury.

The festival will also have Master classes by the Jury and by some eminent film-makers, Camera and Digital workshops, Producers’ Forum, Panel discussions, Seminar and Open Forum by IDPA, under the MIFF Hub.

THE Sacramento French Film Festival
PRESENTS
the 9th WINTER FRENCH SHORT FILM SCREENING
Featuring
the 2016 CÉSAR NOMINATED SHORTS

Saturday, March 5, 2016 – Doors at 6pm / Films at 7pm

On the Big Screen - Crest Theatre

PROGRAM

§ 2016 César Nominated Short Films

It is Awards Season in France, too!

The 9th Winter French Short Film Screening will present a selection of the short films nominated for a 2016 CÉSAR (French Academy Award) in the ANIMATION and LIVE ACTION categories.
After the films, the audience will be invited to vote for the “Sacramento César Awards.”
The 40th César Ceremony will have been held a week earlier, on Friday, February 26 (no spoilers!) and the César Winners will be announced at the end of the evening, along with the results of the audience voting.

Will Sacramento agree with the César Academy? We’ll find out on March 5!

WHERE

§ CREST THEATRE– 1013 K Street – Downtown Sacramento

WEBSITE

§ www.SacramentoFrenchFilmFestival.org

PHONE

§ 916-455-9390

TICKET PRICES

§ $11 General Admission for all (includes a $0.75 Crest facility fee)

§ Tickets will be available at the door

§ Tickets can be purchased in advance at the Crest Box Office and on ticketfly.com

Wishing you all much success on the festival circuit!

The cast and crew will be attending Berlinale with a screening in the Market Feb 12th at 7:00 pm Deutsche Film und Fernsehakademie, Potzdamer Strasse 2. Join us at the Marriott (260) to discuss sales and festival selection Chinese consul in Vienna saved thousands of Jews with visas to escape to Shangai. A true story. The film is entering the festival circuit FESTIVAL CONSIDERATION
Marriott 260 February 11-18 you are welcome to join us and enjoy free cocktails betwwen 4 and 8 pm.

Please note Animaze 2016 edition Montreal will be taking place August 18-21, 2016. Animaze is happy to attend Berlinale 2016 seeking feature length animation film, shorts, as well as interactive projects for our festival in August 18-21 in Montreal Quebec Canada. Films with more than 35% VFX (excluding credits) are also welcome to submit. Please contact us via email to set up a meeting: programming@animazefestival.com Submit your film here: FILMFREEWAY

(L-R) Maman(s), Credit: Sundance Film Festival; The Procedure, Credit: Jacob Rosen; Thunder Road, Credit:Jim Cummings. Sundance Institute announced today the jury prizes in short filmmaking at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. The Short Film Grand Jury Prize, awarded to one film in the program of 72 short films selected from 8,712 submissions, went to Thunder Road by director and screenwriter Jim Cummings. The awards were presented at a ceremony in Park City, Utah; full video ...

CAMERAPERSON A Bold Interrogation of the Power of the Camera By Director & Cinematographer Kirsten Johnson Downloadable Poster: What does it mean to film somebody? What effect does it have on them - and what does it have on you? Kirsten Johnson is one of the most notable cinematographers working in documentary cinema today, having shot Citizenfour, Happy Valley, Fahrenheit 911, The Oath, The Invisible War, and dozens of ...

GREEN ROOM Jeremy Saulnier's Fiendishly Effective Thriller Opens April 1 from A24 Plays at Sundance Film Festival in Spotlight Section A punk band on the road find themselves besieged by neo-Nazis in a backwoods Oregon club, in this brilliantly crafted and wickedly fun horror-thriller starring Patrick Stewart, Anton Yelchin, Alia Shawkat and Imogen Poots, from the director of the cult hit BLUE RUIN. Down on their luck punk rockers The Ain't Rights are fin...

Cast: Kika Magalhaes, Will Brill, Clara Wong, Flora Diaz and Olivia Bond Francisca has been unfazed by death from an early age—her mother, formerly a surgeon in Portugal, imbued her with a thorough understanding of the human anatomy. When tragedy shatters her family’s idyllic life in the countryside, her deep trauma gradually awakens some unique curiosities. As she grows up, her desire to connect with the world around her takes a distinctly dark form. Shot in crisp black and whit...

A dynamic coming of age story about agency, resilience and the transformative artform that is voguing, KIKI offers riveting and complex insight into the daily lives of a group of LGBTQ youth-of-color who comprise the "Kiki" scene, a vibrant, safe space for performance created and governed by these activists. Following members of the scene as they prepare for and perform at exuberant Kiki ba...

ACTRESS DAISY RIDLEY SIGNS ON TO EXECUTIVE PRODUCE SUNDANCE PREMIERE FILM “THE EAGLE HUNTRESS” Daisy Ridley, star of the current blockbuster STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS and hero to young women everywhere, has signed on as an Executive Producer for the Sundance Premiere film THE EAGLE HUNTRESS, as announced by Morgan Spurlock, executive producer for the film. Ridley joined the team after seeing a cut of film and felt she was obligated to do everything within her power to make sure...

The jury of the 30th TEDDY AWARD, which will take place on February 19th in the STATION-Berlin. Nine renowned film makers and festival organisers will choose the laureates from the queer films of the Berlinale in the categories best film, best documentary/essay film and best short. Furthermore, they will award the TEDDY Jury Award. Augustas Cicelis comes from Vilnius, Lithuania, and is the Director and Programmer of Vilnius LGBT* Festival “Kreives”. He has been involved in LGBT* a...

Dutch Features Global Entertainment (DFGE) has secured the rights to festival favorite You Carry Me, the official Montenegrin entry for the 88th Academy Awards®, and returns to Berlinale’s European Film market 2016 to commence world wide sales for this critically acclaimed film. The award-winning film with female-driven story, received international rave reviews and was nicknamed the European cousin of Paul Haggis’ Crash. Filmmaker Ivona Juka’s feature film debut...

EFM Industry Debates 2016: Producers as Entrepreneurs, the Boom in High-end TV Series in Europe, and Korea’s Growing Influence on South East Asian Cinema Now in its tenth year, the EFM Industry Debates is again focussing - in three panel discussions with top experts - on current issues in the film and media industry. The debates are being presented for the fifth time by the IFA, the leading global trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances, and official partner of t...

Claudia Landsberger, Baseworx For Film and Timothy O'Brien, Oration Films are proud to be partnering to represent Idan Haguel's first feature Inertia in the Berlinale Forum. Taking place by the shores of the Mediterranean, Inertia is a deadpan surrealist and blackly comic examination of a woman's identity crisis - utterly modern yet timeless in it's exploration of the impact of dreams and desires. Synopsis: Mira is a woman trapped in a dull life - alienated ...

Rafi Pitts' new feature film SOY NERO will celebrate its world premiere in Competition at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2016. SOY NERO marks Rafi Pitts' third time in Competition at the Berlin International Film Festival. In 2006 his film IT'S WINTER was selected for Official Competition and in 2010 he attended the Berlin International Film Festival with THE HUNTER in Competition again. Synopsis: Nero is running in the desert. He is trying to es...

New Title Paterson A wry comedy which chronicles the challenges of work and love and observes the quiet triumphs and defeats of daily life, and the poetry evident in its smallest details. Genre Comedy Director/Writer Jim Jarmusch Cast Adam Driver Golshifteh Farahani ...

Miira Paasilinna and Chris Howard of The Yellow Affair will be attending EFM this year NEW RELEASES THE YARD (Berlinale Forum) A single father and peripheral poet loses his job as a literary critic when he reviews his own book. With no formal education, he ends up at a car trans-shipment hub. He becomes an outcast, a nameless stranger with a five-digit number. Personal morals are pitted against the demands of fatherhood in an escalating conflict that is ultima...

THE MINE, a pacey probing story with heavy topical relevance, is set for its market premiere at this year’s EFM. The film has a stellar Finnish cast and is beautifully shot in the exotic north of Finland. THE MINE is also selected for the Dragon Awards Competition in Gothenburg. CLICK HERE FOR TRAILER THE MINE, an env...

The latest edition of “EFM Startups” will be held on February 15 and 16, as part of the European Film Market (Feb 11–19, 2016). The joint initiative of the EFM, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg and Startup Germany e.V. was launched to great success in 2015. The call for participation went out Europe-wide for the first time in 2016. Ten selected startups from Berlin, Norway, Ireland, Finland, the Netherlands and Belgium will i...

FANTASTIC FILMS INTERNATIONAL invites you to email us for a EFM 2016 meeting. Let us know your preferred date and time (from Feb. 10th- 16th), so we can introduce you to our Fantastic NEW titles: THE BROKEN KEY (with additional name cast and new trailer); DEX HAMILTON AND THE DOOMSDAY SWARM; LUGGY; AROUND THE WORLD ON A FLYING WINDMILL; THE CUSHION; BIGI AND FRIENDS (TV series). We will also introduce a number of other new titles at the market. A...

THE YARD, a compelling Swedish drama about a fallen poet lost in the mundane world of unskilled work, is to feature at this year’s Berlinale in the Forum Section (see screenings below). This follows its selection as opening film in Gothenburg (selected in the Dragon Awards Competition). The Yellow Affair A single father and peripheral poet loses his job as a literary critic when he revi...

Opening Films: Dreamy Girls and Women Power The competition Generation 14plus will celebrate its opening with the international premiere of the Australian production Girl Asleep, from Rosemary Myers. The director will present her film on February 12 at 7.30 pm at the Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW), together with the film’s female lead. Bethany Whitmore plays the role of Greta in the film, a young woman who takes a deep dive into a bizarre and dangerous dream world full of odd creature...

Anders Hove, Esben Dalgaard, Stine Schrøder Jensen, Katrine Greis-Rosenthal, Peter Plaugborg, Hanne Uldal und Maria Rossing in Splitting Up Together Brand-new series from Denmark, Britain, Israel, Australia, New Zealand and the US will round off the Berlinale Special programme at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele. This year’s selection once again provides a good look at the creativity and variety of forms evident in series production. &nbs...

When the Berlin International Film Festival was launched 66 years ago, there were millions of German refugees and traumatised displaced persons in Europe. The festival made a point of fostering understanding, tolerance and acceptance. Since then, it has always been responsive to current events in society – not only with the film programme, but also with many complementary activities. Last year 79,034 people sought refuge in the German capital (source: Berlin Senate department of...

> PARTNERS FESTIVAL NEWS

Short Film Connection

A short film community dedicated to providing resources and listings for short films and short film festivals. The goals of the current version of the site are:

1. to provide entertainment and information for film lovers Anyone who loves to watch movies and short films can easily find entertainment on SFC. Our site has handpicked some of the best films on the web.

2. to provide useful resources for short film producers and festival organizers For short film producers SFC not only provides a platform for promoting your work, but also lists hundreds of film festivals to which your film can be submitted.

Early Bird January 31, 2016

The Wiper Film Festival is the premiere online film festival and includes an NYC screening. Your work will have the opportunity to be seen by more than 18 millions users around the globe.

There is no fee to submit and have your work considered. There are cash grants for Curator’s Choice and Fan Choice winners in each category. Wiper also provides free advertising and promotion budget to its top films. Submit your feature and short length work today!

Regular Deadline January 31, 2016

NYC Independent Film Festival is a celebration of the true independent filmmaker, documentaries, short and feature-length films, music videos, and animation. During the 6th Annual Festival we gave away prizes with a total cash value of over 28,000 USD. All screenings take place in the historic center of NYC, Time Square which is the perfect home for an event geared toward creating incredible opportunities for independent voices.

Early Bird deadline February 5, 2016

The 12th Annual HollyShorts Film Festival and Film Conference/Film Market, scheduled for August 11-20, 2016 at the world famous TCL Chinese 6 Theatres, is now accepting submissions. HSFF, 4 times named to MovieMaker Magazine “Top 25 Fests Worth the Entry Fee” lists, has featured over 400 projects showcasing stars and filmmakers including Sofia Loren, Bill Plympton, Anthony and Joe Russo, and Felicia Day.

In 2015, HSFF awarded over $150,000 in prizes, including $60,000 in post services for Best Short, Director, Music Video, Cinematography, VFX, and Commercial, and $15,000 Grand Prize cash . www.hollyshorts.com

Regular Deadline March 31, 2016

In 2016, WoFF returns for its third edition with great energy and ideas, generated from a wonderful 2015 festival.

Our focus remains on independent cinema from all around the globe, by showcasing the work of first feature filmmakers and female directors in our two main sections, First Features and The Female Perspective, respectively.

Deadline extended

New York Festival's World's Best TV & Films competition honors programming in all lengths and forms from over 50 countries. Dedicated to both the Television and Film industries, categories mirror today's global trends and encourage the next generation of story-tellers and talent: Animation, Comedy, Corporate, Drama, Documentary, Feature Films, Movie Trailers, Music Videos, News, Promos, Reality TV Drama, Sports, Telenovelas, Webisodes, Best Performance by an Actor/Actress, Special Event, Innovation, Technical Production Team, CSR, Best Screenplay, Video Art, and Best Host.

Submit by April 30, 2016

Montreal International Animation Film Festival FESTIVAL DATES June 2-5 2016 Montreal Canada Le MIAFF! is a people's film festival and industry conference dedicated to the art of animation for film and technology. All genres and forms are welcome. Awards & Prizes Software and other award prizes. Visibility in our travelling shows in Berlin, Cannes, Annecy, Glasgow and more. Check 2015 fantastic programming on the website.

> "FILMFESTIVALS.COM ONES TO WATCH ON THE CIRCUIT" FOR FESTIVAL CONSIDERATION

Exodus to Shanghai tells a story of two brave lovers, Fannia and Bruce, who stand up to the Nazis and fight against their evil. With the help of music, martial arts and wisdom, they make their escape to Shanghai on the Orient Express, saving many Jews along the journey. Together with Dr. Ho, the Chinese Consul in Vienna in 1938, who helped thousands of Jews to flee Vienna and escape to Shanghai with free Exit Visas, they make their Exodus to Shanghai. A Dead Nazi is a Good Nazi.

Paranoid Girls Comedy by Pedro del Santo is qualified for Oscar selection running for best film, best original song...

Ana, Paula and Veronica become fascinated by modeling and the life that it offers. Yet, they gradually begin to discover the dark side of fashion hidden behind the fame and glamour of the spotlights. The women experience downfall as they engage with an antagonistic photographer who drags models into a high stakes abyss of danger. The women learn to value friendship over the lures of fashion pitfalls and enjoy life's simplicities in the end.

over 40 festival wins so far

Eco Documentary feature film by Rob Stewart (Sharkwater)

Revolution is a film about changing the world. The true-life adventure of Rob Stewart, this follow-up to his acclaimed SHARKWATER (36 festival wins) documentary continues his remarkable journey; one that will take him through 15 countries over four years, and where he'll discover that it's not only sharks that are in grave danger -- it's humanity itself.Website I Epk on filmfestivals.com I Trailer I Email us for a screener

"ROOTED in PEACE challenges viewers to examine their values as Americans and human beings. Today we are at war within ourselves, with our environment, and with the world. Director and award-winning filmmaker Greg Reitman invites viewers on a film journey to take notice of the world we live in, proactively seek ways to find personal and ecological peace, and stop the cycle of violence".

Feature Feel Good Movie - World premiered in Montreal World Film Festival Winner best romantic comedy in Manhattan Fest

Charlie Kane can’t catch a break. He grew into a man who expects the worse out of life and gets it. But that changes when, by chance, he meets a bright, sunny sprite of a woman named Holly who turns him from a dour drip into someone finally allowing himself to be happy.Then a bus flattens her before Charlie eyes. Charlie opts for suicide but can’t even successfully give up on life. Left with no other choice, he adopts Holly’s ethos of positivity and just decides to be happy... by ignoring all the bad things in life. But his cynical best friend isn’t buying Charlie’s new-found happiness and sets out to save Charlie by making him miserable again.

> FILMS FOCUS

Fantasporto one of the leading Genre Festivals in the World will have a special screening of Exodus to Shangai on March 3rd at 9 pm in an hommage to Peace and Understanding Between Humans Called Fantasporto for Peace! Anthony Hickox the director was thrilled and told Mario how much he loved his festival. "Dear Mario I've always wanted to go to your fest! I've won Avoriaz and Brussels Fantastic etc. never yours!!! Hahaha I will be really happy to come and ...

By Maria Esteves – January 25, 2016 The 25th Anniversary New York Jewish Film Festival 2016 (NYJFF16) N.Y. Premiere of HOW TO WIN ENEMIES (COMO GANAR ENEMIGOS), directed by Gabriel Lichtmann was held at the Walter Reade Theater, Thursday, January 21st followed by a Q&A session with director Lichtmann, moderated by digital marketing associate Alexander Hunt, Film Society of Lincoln Center. Questions posed to Lichtmann by Hunt included: The film's...

by Quendrith Johnson, (Awards Intelligencer, 1/19/2016) If Oscar-winner Sean Penn can go interview El Chapo, then the state of journalism really is in trouble — oh, nevermind, this is just indicative of how movie people perceive and interpret the craft. A cocky Penn goes on CBS with Charlie Rose to call out those who ‘don’t think I’m a real journalist,’ while having committed a de facto ethical violation of the profession by grandsta...

> THE FESTIVAL CIRCUIT

THE Sacramento French Film Festival PRESENTS the 9th WINTER FRENCH SHORT FILM SCREENING Featuring the 2016 CÉSAR NOMINATED SHORTS Saturday, March 5, 2016 – Doors at 6pm / Films at 7pm On the Big Screen - Crest Theatre PROGRAM § 2016 César Nominated Short Films It is Awards Season in France, too! The 9th Winter French Short Film Screeni...

MIFF starts tomorrow in Mumbai, screenings in 9 other cities too The 14th edition of Mumbai International Festival for Documentary, Short and Animation Films, popularly known as MIFF, will be held between January 28 and February 03, 2016. MIFF, which began as BIFF (Bombay International Film Festival), became MIFF when the city had a change of name. The biennial festival, restricted to Documentary, Short and Animation Films, with some rare or restored features thrown in, is organised by the F...

> AWARDS WATCH

The Oscar controversy / boycott

Lifetime voting rights reframed; new governor seats added and committees restructured In a unanimous vote Thursday night (1/21), the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences approved a sweeping series of substantive changes designed to make the Academy’s membership, its governing bodies, and its voting members significantly more diverse. The Board’s goal is to commit to doubling the number of women and diverse members of...

Quendrith Johnson our LA based correspondent commented and alerted us about the letter Spike Lee just published on his official instagram profile. He is one of the many voices who stood up saying the selection did not take enough account of diversity. He notices with anger that "For The 2nd Consecutive Year All 20 Contenders Under The Actor Category Are White"... read his full statement below. Jada Pinkett Smith ...

Academy President, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, and Gil Robertson, President of African American Film Critics Association react to this years Oscar nominations which included no black actors in any category. USA TODAY ...

ACADEMY PRESIDENT CHERYL BOONE ISAACS "I’d like to acknowledge the wonderful work of this year’s nominees. While we celebrate their extraordinary achievements, I am both heartbroken and frustrated about the lack of inclusion. This is a difficult but important conversation, and it’s time for big changes. The Academy is taking dramatic steps to alter the makeup of our membership. In the coming days and weeks we will conduct a review of our membershi...

Stratton, Maine filmmaker Mercedes Mehling, right, won the first Broke and Stoked Video Contest with her film MH&T TRAIL CREW. She is pictured with colleague Jaime Mastrorio 2015 MOFF AWARDS Broke and Stoked Contest (Maine amateur outdoor adventure short) MH&T TRAIL CREW by Mercedes Mehling (at right in the picture above) of Stratton, ME Best Short NATURE-RX, PART 2 by Justin Bogardus of Colorado Best Short Feature CIRCUMNAVIGATING LAKE CHAMPLAIN ...

> PEOPLE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Michel Adam wrote and produced Exodus to Shangai and shared with filmfestivals.com the reasons behind his involvement! “The movie is dedicated to the memory of my mother, who died last year. She was a musician who fell in love with my father in Vienna during the war and they eventually ended up in China after having crossed all of Siberia. I had heard many epic stories of their dramatic lives and escape to safety and knew it was meant for the big screen. I felt I had to tell their st...

Anthony "Tony" Hickox was born in 1959 and comes from a family of filmmakers. He is the eldest son of the director Douglas Hickox and Academy Award-winning editor Anne V. Coates (Lawrence of Arabia...) and elder brother of editor Emma E. Hickox and James D.R. Hickox. He is also the great nephew of Lord J. Arthur Rank who controlled the British film industry for many years. After starting as a club promoter in London he came to LA ...

Consul Ho's daughter, Manli Ho and son Ho Man-To receive the Righteous award in honor of their late father at Yad Vashem from Commission for the Designation of the Righteous 2008 Washington DC, USA Dr. Ho’s commemorative plaque Dr. Ho was the Consul General for China stationed in Vienna from 1938 to 1940 Against the instructions of his supervisors in Berlin, the Chinese ambassador Dr. Ho issued nearly 10,000 Visas for Jews to leave to Shanghai: here is one of them below....

> STRICTLY BUSINESS

HOW IT WORKS First off, welcome to SFC! Our mission is to become the most comprehensive and feature-rich short film website possible. We need your help to build our community and achieve our goals, so read this page and discover how you can benefit from and contribute to our site! WHAT CAN THIS SITE DO FOR ME? The goals of the current version of the site are: 1. to provide entertainment and information for film lovers Anyone who loves to watch movies and short films c...

Filmfestivals.com was established 1995 as world reference in this niche, we are proud of our track record in helping festivals attract more legitimacy, visibility and film submissions from our large base of international film professionals (370 000 unique filmmaker visitors each month), 159 500 subscribers to the newsletter. ONE TIME OFFER We suggest this quick one month booster program for your call for entry including with 4 newsletter ads, your call for entry promoted one month lon...

HOW TO WIN ENEMIES (COMO GANAR ENEMIGOS), is a heartfelt redemptive family comedy, crime mystery set in present day Buenos Aires, Argentina. Lucas Abadi (Martin Slipak) an aspiring crime novelist and attorney who works at his family law firm becomes a victim of a crime, is compelled to solve the mystery. The film begins with a beautiful Jewish wedding ceremony scene, then the story cleverly unfolds returning back to the wedding reception scene and speech presentation made by the bridegroom his brother Max (Javier Drolas).

The film programme of the 2nd Berlin Critics’ Week is completed. As an additional world premiere we present the new production of directors Marita Neher und Tatjana Turanskyj. The latest works of Andrzej Żuławski, Pablo Agüero and Isiah Medina complement the previously announced films. Denis Côté, Zahra Vargas and Apichatpong Weerasethakul are included with short films. The Federal Agency for Civic Education (Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung/bpb) supports us as a new partner.

The additional films

Disorientation Isn’t a Crime by Marita Neher and Tatjana Turanskyj sees two women, a journalist and an activist, slowly lose the coherence of their world views. After a chance encounter their perspectives on the refugee crisis, on politics, work, and capitalism collide in a road movie. What emerges is a trip through rural Greece, in pursuit of invisible borders and an attitude towards our present times. Polish director Andrzej Żuławski returns with first film in 15 years, Cosmos. The director of feverishly disturbing works like Possession has created a fast-paced comedy in the spirit of French vaudeville that simultaneously unfolds as a metaphysical film noir. A family run guest house in the French countryside becomes the setting of an absurd detective story. In an increasingly grotesque plot turning on the characters’ longings and playfulness, mutual provocation is a constant drive. The film features remarkable performances by Sabine Azéma, Jean-François Balmer and Jonathan Gene. The embalmed body of Eva Perón and its disappearance for a time during Argentina’s military dictatorship is negotiated in its potential as a national symbol in Pablo Agüero’s Eva Doesn’t Sleep. Through an unconventional arrangement of archival footage and scripted, intimate long takes the director questions historiography, the aura of power and its implications in terms of the female body. The performances of Denis Lavant as a military driver and Gael García Bernal as the overarching figure of an admiral guarantee the film’s’ constant intensity and thrill. In his feature film debut 88:88 the Canadian experimental filmmaker Isiah Medina sets in motion a diary-like stream of images dealing with love, poetry and poverty. The montage of found footage, documentary material and fictional scenes radically questions the status of the image as well as our social, political and aesthetic preconceptions.

Short film programme

With May We Sleep Soundly Canadian director Denis Côté presents his first short film in years. Captivating as well as sinister, we follow its subjective, ambiguous view as it trespasses on the interiors of houses to prove once again the suggestive power of images. The silent parable Vapour is Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s recent take on a disturbing political situation that resists definition. The film is set in the village of Toongha, Northern Thailand, where the director lives and where a strange fog passes through, clouding the land. La fin d’Homère by Zahra Vargas explores hunting as a lurking, mechanical allegory of magical surrealism. Victims become sculptures and a story unfolds in which a hunter’s fate is sealed by a mammoth bird – almost a fairytale creature. The provincial embodies a universe.

New Partner of the Berlin Critics’ Week: The Federal Agency for Civic Education

The BERLIN CRITICS’ WEEK is an initiative of the German Film Critics Association (Verband der deutschen Filmkritik e.V.) in collaboration with the Heinrich Böll Foundation (Heinrich-Böll-Stifung e.V.), supported by The Federal Agency for Civic Education (Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung/bpb). Through their commitment, the partners of the event support the concept of linking aesthetic questions with film policy and socio-political matters.

Short films

Homer, a Hunter’s Fate (La fin d’Homère) Switzerland 2015 Dir: Zahra Vargas German Premiere May We Sleep Soundly (Que nous nous assoupissions) Canada 2015 Dir: Denis Côté German Premiere Vapour (Mok mae rim) Thailand, Korea, China 2015 Dir: Apichatpong Weerasethakul German Premiere All films will be presented as German premieres. Blue Dress andDisorientation Isn’t a Crime will celebrate their world premieres at the Berlin Critics’ Week. The BERLIN CRITICS’ WEEK will take place from February 11th to February 18th at the Hackesche Höfe Kino in the centre of Berlin. On the occasion of the Berlin International Film Festival the Berlin Critics’ Week presents international films, a selection based on the principle of discussing the most stimulating works. Each night, international critics and filmmakers will discuss politics and aesthetics, preferences and rejection, new forms of distribution and perception. How do we watch films? Which films are we longing for? What constitutes cinema? Film criticism enters the field. The BERLIN CRITICS’ WEEK is an initiative of the German Film Critics Association (Verband der deutschen Filmkritik e.V.) in collaboration with the Heinrich Böll Foundation (Heinrich-Böll-Stifung e.V.), supported by The Federal Agency for Civic Education (Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung/bpb).

Critics’ Week

Cannes got one, Venice and Locarno got one, and since 2015 Berlin has a Critics’ Week, too. On seven nights during the Berlin International Film Festival, film critics will screen a programme of remarkable international feature films. Films which spark subsequent debates concerning aspects of cinema and film criticism.

“A feature of other film festivals that’s missing in Berlin is a place where instead of piling masses of films onto each other, ‘cinema’ as a whole is considered and discovered in single screenings.“ – Dietrich Brüggemann, filmmaker, winner of the Silver Berlin Bear 2014

The BERLIN CRITICS’ WEEK is an initiative of the German Film Critics Association (Verband der deutschen Filmkritik e.V.) in collaboration with the Heinrich Böll Foundation (Heinrich-Böll-Stifung e.V.) and The Federal Agency for Civic Education (Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung/bpb).

Passion for cinema

“Lively, smart, experimental, joyous and true-to-life filmmaking can only be reinforced and advanced by thinking and seeing cinema with knowledge of its history and its possibilities.” – Dominik Graf, filmmaker, in competition 2002 and 2014

During the Berlin Film Festival the BERLIN CRITICS’ WEEK creates a hub for everyone who connects intellectual reflection with the sensual pleasure of watching films. The BERLIN CRITICS’ WEEK is supported by a network of international film critics and filmmakers, featuring both fresh voices as well as established names. At the discussions following the screenings participants with controversial opinions are invited to contribute, question the programming choices and open up their own topics.
How are we watching films? What do we wish for in films? What constitutes cinema?

Spectrum of films and selection commission

The selection is based on two concepts: stirring, daring, surprising cinema and a potential for cultural and critical discussion. The eleven features selected for the second edition of the BERLIN CRITICS’ WEEK cover a wide spectrum of topics: from AURA, POWER, SEDUCTION and WORLD-BUILDING via SILENCING and EXHIBITION to ZEITGEIST. All films are recent productions, with a broad range of forms presented on equal billing with big international star vehicles. All films will be screened in their original language with English subtitles or in their English original versions.

The selection committee consists of five members: the three authors of the “Pamphlet for an Activist Film Criticism” that was published in May of 2014 in Oberhausen – Dunja Bialas, Frédéric Jaeger and Dennis Vetter – as well as the two critics Carmen Gray and Joseph Fahim.

Heinrich Böll Foundation

The Heinrich Böll Foundation promotes art and culture as expressions of social self-understanding and reflection. We examine the relations relations between art and activism in social and political movements, nationally as well as globally. For that purpose we support exhibitions and theatre projects, we develop and host film festivals, readings, and panel discussions on cultural issues. Negotiating concepts of art is a very relevant part of our debate programs.

During Berlinale the Herinrich Böll Foundation organizes the Peace Film Prize in collaboration with a group of partner initiatives. In 2016 the Prize will be presented for the 31st time.

More than 40 Nordic films and works in progress will be presented at the Nordic Film Market in Göteborg, taking place Wednesday 2 - Saturday 7 February.

The 2016 lineup consists of 17 finished feature films and 20 works in progress, plus 8 titles presented at the Nordic Film Lab Discovery sessions. This year's films include world premieres Shelley by Ali Abbasi, The Model by Mads Matthiesen, Welcome to Norway! by Rune Denstad Langlo and The Yard by Måns Månsson, and the Swedish box office hits A man called Ove and A Holy Mess.

Among the works in progress are anticipated titles The Giant by Johannes Nyholm (Swe), Cold Case Hammarskjöld by Mats Brügger (Den), Devil´s Bride by Sara Cantell (Fin), I Remember You by Óskar Thór Axelsson (Ice) and Valley of Shadows by Jonas Gulbrandsen (Nor).

Eight Nordic Film Lab projects in the final stages of production are selected for the Nordic Film Lab Discovery sessions, where these projects are presented to buyers, sales agents and festivals attending the Nordic Film Market.

Showcase of upcoming Nordic TV Drama: To get an overview of what´s coming from the Nordic region, moderator Andrea Reuter will showcase tens of upcoming drama series from Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Finland with promos, trailers and clips as well as give a glimpse into Nordic drama series still in the making.

Göteborg Film Festival, founded in 1979, is the leading film festival in Scandinavia. With 135 000 admissions and 1800 professionals from around the world attending, it is the region's major audience film event as well as most important annual industry meeting. Screening 450 features and shorts from 80 countries, the festival programme also presents a strong showcase for Nordic film, from world premieres to upcoming works at the Nordic Film Market. The vast public programme of seminars, lectures and debates is attended by some 8000 people annually. Göteborg Film Festival is proud to present one of the largest festival awards in the world - the Dragon Award for Best Nordic Film with a prize sum of 1 million SEK (€100 000).

The 36th edition of Fantasporto is held at the Teatro Municipal Rivoli, and as usual, with the Pre-Fantas as an appetizer.

Shorts are particularly in focus in the Official Fantasy competition, after a long selection process. And for the first time, they will be repeated in two independent screenings. Unreleased, recent films are also present in the Portuguese Best Film competition. Eight schools and universities from all over the country participate in a one of a kind competition. Innovation, discovery of new talents and films one remembers for the rest of their lives, are the main objective.

The Official Sections are

Fantasy

Directors Week

Orient Express

and Portuguese Cinema for the competitions and the Première & Panorama for new films not in competition.

The highlights for the 36th edition are The Latin Countries, especially Brazil and Argentina.

Most directors and producers are expected to travel to Oporto for the stage presentation.

The main retrospective is dedicated to Macedonian Venice Golden Lion winner, Milcho Manchevski who will attend the festival.

Wishing you all much success for your films on the festival circuit!

Dear filmmakers friends do not miss these Festivals in Focus. The next eBlast is January 30 with more festivals to follow.

Short Film Connection

A short film community dedicated to providing resources and listings for short films and short film festivals. The goals of the current version of the site are:

1. to provide entertainment and information for film lovers Anyone who loves to watch movies and short films can easily find entertainment on SFC. Our site has handpicked some of the best films on the web. Additionally, we have classified the movies and provided search tools to help viewers quickly and easily find entertainment that suits their preferences.

2. to provide useful resources for short film producers and festival organizers For short film producers SFC not only provides a platform for promoting your work, but also lists hundreds of film festivals to which your film can be submitted.

> PARTNERS FESTIVALS IN FOCUS

Final Deadline February 12, 2016

Event March 6-17 to celebrate United Nation International Women's Day and Zero Discrimination Day. IFFWSZ is part of a big festival group www.internationalfilmfestivals.orgestablished as support to the mission of United Nations to promote peace and humanity. Our festival group past winners include many Hollywood stars and directors, Humanitarian Heroes, Nobel Prize Winners and World Leaders. Our events have been covered by hundreds of media and attended by thousands. Besides Best Film, we awards Awards of Excellence, Platinum Award, Gold Award. Hundreds of films will be scheduled to screen in 2016. To all women and social issue filmmakers, we offer 20 percents off with code WomenDay2016. SUBMIT NOW

Late deadline February 1, 2016

The mission of the Greenwich International Film Festival (GIFF) is to provide filmmakers with the opportunity to showcase their work, with the goal of finding financing and distribution.

Set in Greenwich, an affluent community of art lovers located 45-minutes outside of Manhattan, this carefully curated Festival will connect an audience of prospective financiers, distributors and film lovers with rising stars in the film industry.

The festival will grant The Social Impact Award to one film across all categories that promotes social change and awareness.

Best Narrative Feature
Best Documentary Feature
Best Narrative Short
Best Documentary Short

Twelve New Categories this year/ Best Independent Trailer (under a million), Golden Fleece Foreign, Best Foreign Independent Trailer, Best Foreign Music Trailer, Best Foreign Thriller Trailer, Best Foreign Trashiest, Best Foreign Teaser, Best Sound Editing TV Spot, Best Teaser TV Spot, Best Radio/Audio Spot, Best Trailer for Legit Theater or Broadway Trailer, Best Trailer for a book or novel To advertise in the GTA17 Program Book please email Gerry Brahney.

Early Bird January 31, 2016

The Wiper Film Festival is the premiere online film festival and includes an NYC screening. Your work will have the opportunity to be seen by more than 18 millions users around the globe.

There is no fee to submit and have your work considered. There are cash grants for Curator’s Choice and Fan Choice winners in each category. Wiper also provides free advertising and promotion budget to its top films.

April 27 to May 1, 2016!

Late deadline February 15, 2016

NYC Independent Film Festival is a celebration of the true independent filmmaker, documentaries, short and feature-length films, music videos, and animation. Whether a submission is comedic, dramatic, or something in between, The NYC Indie film Fest is eager to embrace fresh ideas and storytelling.

In addition to showcasing the best indie films to the entertainment industry and the NYC public, the festival will also offer a variety of prizes. During the 6th Annual Festival we gave away prizes with a total cash value of over 28,000 USD.

All screenings take place in the historic center of NYC, Time Square which is the perfect home for an event geared toward creating incredible opportunities for independent voices.

Early Bird deadline February 5, 2016

The 12th Annual HollyShorts Film Festival and Film Conference/Film Market, scheduled for August 11-20, 2016 at the world famous TCL Chinese 6 Theatres, is now accepting submissions. (www.withoutabox.com/login/4655) HSFF, 4 times named to MovieMaker Magazine “Top 25 Fests Worth the Entry Fee” lists, has featured over 400 projects showcasing stars and filmmakers including Sofia Loren, Bill Plympton, Anthony and Joe Russo, and Felicia Day.

In 2015, HSFF awarded over $150,000 in prizes, including $60,000 in post services courtesy of COMPANY 3 and METHOD STUDIOS for Best Short, Director, Music Video, Cinematography, VFX, and Commercial, and $15,000 Grand Prize cash courtesy of ZYPE. www.hollyshorts.com

Earlybird Deadline January 17, 2015

In 2016, WoFF returns for its third edition with great energy and ideas, generated from a wonderful 2015 festival.

Our focus remains on independent cinema from all around the globe, by showcasing the work of first feature filmmakers and female directors in our two main sections, First Features and The Female Perspective, respectively.

Deadline Extended

New York Festival's World's Best TV & Films competition honors programming in all lengths and forms from over 50 countries. Dedicated to both the Television and Film industries, categories mirror today's global trends and encourage the next generation of story-tellers and talent: Animation, Comedy, Corporate, Drama, Documentary, Feature Films, Movie Trailers, Music Videos, News, Promos, Reality TV Drama, Sports, Telenovelas, Webisodes, Best Performance by an Actor/Actress, Special Event, Innovation, Technical Production Team, CSR, Best Screenplay, Video Art, and Best Host.

Submissions close April 15, 2016

In partnership with filmfestivals.com

Montreal International Animation Film Festival is a people's film festival an dindutry conference dedicated to the art of animation for film and technology.
All genres and forms are welcome.
Software an award prize. Visibility in out travelling show in Berlin, Cannes Annecy, Glasgow and more.

May 1, 2016 Early Deadline

Submissions are now open for the 2016 Calgary International Film Festival, which runs from September 21 - October 2, 2016.
The Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF) is a 12-day showcase of up to 200 multi-genre films from Canada and over 40 other countries.

PROMOTE YOUR FILM AND GET READY FOR THE FESTIVAL CIRCUIT.

We can offer Festival consulting and marketing services to fit your film ambitions.

- The 500€ Festival Fast Track

The Festival Fast Track service offers you a presence in the film showcase page with links and video streaming. The Film promotion Showcase is a combination of online services, (charged 500€ or about $690) that will bring recognition from our international audience who trust us as the only international media totally dedicated to the festival circuit. The Film promotion Showcase includes all those features:

UDINE – The beautiful ghost story The Inerasable opens a new chapter in the glorious J-Horror genre which brings back one of the most visionary and prolific directors (or auteurs) of Japanese cinema to the screens of the Far East Film Festival in Udine: Nakamura Yoshihiro! Of course, it is still too early to reveal the eighteenth line-up of the FEFF (from the 22nd to the 30th of April), but The Inerasable(as the European Premiere) represents an exciting preview. The Udine preview will be publicized in perfect sync with the one in Tokyo, where the film's release in Japan has been announced by Shochiku for January 30th.

An old friend of the FEFF (over the years, we can remember such titles as The Glorious Team Batista, Fish Story, Golden Slumber, The Triumphant General Rouge, up to the more recent See You Tomorrow, Everyone and The Snow White Murder Case), Nakamura - also scriptwriter of the brilliant horror film Dark Water directed by Nakata Hideo - this time adapts Ono Fuyumi’s best- selling horror novel “Zange” for the screen.

The Inerasable marks the return of Nakamura to the horror genre, after ten years. It starts with a letter received by a novelist, a big name in the horror genre, revealing that another woman is investigating an unusual series of suicides. What lies behind these deaths? And how are these deaths linked to the author’s activities? The enigma deepens until the truth comes out, little by little...

The sixty titles for # FEFF18 (official hashtag) will be chosen, as always, from the best of recent films (blockbusters, cult movies, outsiders, but also Asian art films) and once again, the program will feature a rich assortment of associated events (exhibitions, conferences and meetings).

We are proud to present the complete 2016 TV Drama Vision programme! This years programme brings you the latest international trends and highlights current discussions in the Nordic region, lets you meet inspiring guests and hear from the most powerful key players in the drama industry.

During two packed days we dig into storytelling as an art through keynote speakers and panels, focus on the German drama landscape, shine a spotlight on neighbouring Finland and showcase tens of upcoming Nordic drama series.

Below we point out a few of the headline guests, works in progress and other highlights.

Robert Franke is the newly appointed Vice President of Drama at ZDF Enterprises, one of the biggest and most renowned television broadcasters in Europe. As part of the German focus, Franke will give us an insight into the German drama market, discuss the close relationship that ZDF has with the Nordic region and tell us of his upcoming plans for drama series as ZDF Enterprises.

Other distinguished guests this year include: Polly Williams - Head of Scripted Drama at eOne and Creative England Drama Venture, screenwriter Anna Winger and producer Jörg Winger, creators of Deutschland 83, Piv Bernth - Head of Drama DR, Ivar Køhn - Head of Drama NRK, Josefine Tengblad - Head of Drama SVT and many more.

We kickstart our exploration of the art of storytelling with the highly entertaining lecture TV-series with no expiration date.

What makes some series last and get better with each season, while others start dying after just a few episodes? What are the necessary ingredients in a successful long-running series – the kind that does not seem to have an expiration date? – Delivering the answer is Tatjana Andersson, script editor at SVT.

Be sure not to miss this or any of the interesting topics discussed by our invited guests.

- Midnight Sun is a Swedish/French thriller set in the northern parts of Sweden by internationally acclaimed directors Björn Stein and Måns Mårlind. Joining them on stage are French producers Dominique Jubin, Canal+ and Olivier Bibas, Atlantique together with Christian Wikander, SVT.

To get an overview of what´s coming from the Nordic region, moderator Andrea Reuter will showcase more then ten upcoming Nordic TV drama series, including Swedish drama The Most Forbidden, Icelandic crime drama Case, Norwegian comedy Meglene 2 and the Finnish historical drama The Red Couple.

Latest news on Nordic Film Market

On January 29th Göteborg Film Festival, the largest film festival in the Nordic countries, opens. Nordic competitions, Italian focus, a new section on Nigeria – nearly 450 films from 84 countries will be screened during 11 intense days.

Nordic Film Market, February 4-7
On January 22 we will release all participating film titles in the Nordic Film Market - Göteborg Film Festivals international market place for upcoming and new films from the Nordic countries.

We will also release panel guests and more on the content in the Nostradamus-report – an analysis on the future developments in the screen industries presented on February 4 – as well as the projects and participants of Nordic Film Lab Discovery – our new co-financing platform.

Travel simple, cheap and environmentally friendly to Göteborg Film Festival. As a partner of the festival SJ offers 10% discount on the trip to Gothenburg. The offer is valid in both 1st and 2nd class. Tickets can only be purchased with the booking module here.

The image of the 64th edition will be chosen from among all participants

Yet another year the San Sebastian Festival calls an online poster competition for selection of the images to represent 5 of its major sections at the coming edition: New Directors, Horizontes Latinos, Zabaltegi, Pearls and Culinary Zinema.

This year the official poster is not included in the online competition. Instead, it will be chosen from among the proposals presented by a selection of 10 design studios specifically invited to participate. Every year we will send this invitation to different studios; however, those to have won or earned a mention at the previous edition will be automatically invited to participate.

The Festival therefore introduces a combined formula intended to stimulate creativity and open participation among all designers wishing to present their proposals for the sections in the online competition. It also limits the quantity of options requiring assessment for the official poster, and the number of candidates, who must meet the necessary conditions before completing all of the processes involved in developing the main image for the edition.

The online competition is open to all designers and the public will vote for their favourite posters. A jury will choose the winner from the finalists and prizes will be drawn among voters of the winning proposals.

Participants can submit posters for the 64th edition in the following 5 categories: New Directors, Horizontes Latinos, Zabaltegi, Pearls and Culinary Zinema. Participants are free to submit posters for as many sections as they wish. They can also submit as many posters as they wish for each section.

As for last years, a specific site within the official Festival website: sansebastianfestival.com/postercompetition, will permit participation in and organisation of the competition. This site will also allow you to follow updates on the development of each stage.

Jury deliberation and communication to the winner or winners: March 18

Public announcement of the winning posters: May 6

Prize draw among voters of the winning options: May 10

To select the winning posters, a pre-selection will be made of the 10 proposals to receive most public votes per section in sansebastianfestival.com/postercompetition, plus up to another 10 posters for each section selected by the San Sebastian Festival itself, bringing the total to a maximum of 20 finalists on 17 March 2016.

The Festival will place particular importance on the originality of the proposals, their design, composition and visual impact.

From these finalists, a jury will choose the winning posters for each section on 18 March. The decision will be publicly announced at a press conference called by the San Sebastian Festival on May 6. At this press conference, all of the prize-winning works will be presented to the media. That the same day, the announcement will be published on the Festival and specific competition sites.

· For the authors of the winning posters:

The winner or winners of the competition will receive a prize of €1,000 net per posters selected for each of the sections.

· For voting members of the public:

A draw will be held among all users whose votes coincide with the winning poster in each section. Five prizes will be awarded (1 per section). The prize in each case is a 10-session voucher for the Festival and a set of publications issued for the 64th edition of the San Sebastian Festival.

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BSDFF is thrilled to release this year’s schedule and announce the competition films in our four award categories: Feature (40+ minutes), Short (15-40 mins), Mini-Doc (under 15mins) and Big Sky Award (films about the American West).

On Friday, February 19th the festival will open with a FREE opening-night screening of an upcoming HBO Documentary film. MAVIS! is the first feature documentary on gospel/soul music legend and civil rights icon Mavis Staples and her family group, The Staple Singers. The 13th Annual Big Sky Documentary Film Festival will be packed with enough films, events, performances, panels and parties to satisfy even the hardiest of filmgoers, families and fun-seekers. The full BSDFF schedule can be found HERE.

To help find what you are looking for, the programming staff at BSDFF has created “strands” of thematically-linked films. These strands cover topics as diverse as Made in Montana, Sports & Adventure, and Peace & Conflict. You can find all 2016 BSDFF strands HERE.

And on the docket for this year’s festival is an impactful DOCSHOP conference – for filmmakers, content creators, and anyone interested in how films can be catalysts for positive change in the world. For more information on our 2016 DocShop, click HERE.

The BSDFF is a qualifying festival for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Best Short Documentary award, winners in the Short and Mini-Doc categories will be eligible for Oscar consideration. Winners will be revealed at an open-to-the-public Awards Party at The Loft in downtonw Missoula, Montana on Friday, Feb 26th at 6pm.

The range of films selected for the 22nd annual Sedona International Film Festival is as diverse as the audiences who will fill the theaters and the filmmakers whose creative talents will be on display from Feb. 20-28.

Among the 165 films to be screened are dozens directed by women, including 14-year-old Bailey Weber (The Student Body); Oscar-nominated short film Stutterer, French-produced drama, Mustang, and Theeb from Jordan, both nominated in Best Foreign Film category; world premieres of Now More than Ever: the History of Chicago and locally produced Sacred Journeys, a conscious short film from Glenn Scarpelli and Mackenzie Phillips; the most successful Korean film ever produced, My Love Don’t Cross That River; and films dealing with disability issues (The Ataxian, Right Footed), the environment (Landfill Harmonic, Antarctic Edge, Aina: That Which Fees Us, Tree Hugger); LGBT subjects (An Act of Love, No Home Movie) and The Pearl Button, winner of the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury at the Berlin International Film Festival and Best Documentary at Jerusalem Film Festival and Philadelphia Film Festival.

“Being able to partner with iconic rock band Chicago to present both their documentary and two concerts is something that still has me wondering if this is a dream I’m about to wake up from,” said Sedona International Film Festival Executive Director Patrick Schweiss. “And, I’m still catching my breath about the absolutely incredible lineup of films this year. All I can promise is great films, great guests, great times and great music!”

Additional highlights that follow are a showing of American Graffiti and a cast reunion, hosted by Phillips (Carol) and Cindy Williams (Laurie) and featuring Beau Genry (Ants) and Candy Clark (Debbie); documentaries When Giants Fall, the story of the outgunned, inexhaustible heroes trying to save African elephants from extinction; To the Moon and Back, about Miles Harrison, an ordinary American from Virginia who adopts a beautiful Russian orphan boy; The Armor of Light, Abigail Disney’s directorial debut following the journey of an Evangelical minister trying to find the courage to preach about the growing toll of gun violence in America; and Paul Sorvino’s newest family comedy adventure, Hybrids. Sorvino will be in Sedona for the Festival.

Full features include Silver Skies starring Valerie Perrine, Mariette Hartley and George Hamilton telling the story of a group of eccentric retirees whose lives are turned upside down when their beloved apartment complex is suddenly sold out from under them; Burning Bodhi with Kaley Cuoco and Virginia Madsen about lifelong friends who stumble back home after high school when word goes out on Facebook that the most popular among them has died (the film opens in theaters in March); Evan’s Crime with David Arquette about a young man unjustly accused of selling marijuana and cocaine and being threatened with up to 28 years in jail by an ambitious Federal prosecutor; and I Dream Too Much, which tells the story of recent college grad Dora who, instead of chasing boys on the beach with her friends, finds herself caring for her reclusive aunt in snowy upstate New York.

Advanced-sale Platinum All-Access Passes are $1050. Gold Priority Passes are $520; 20-ticket packages are $215; and 10-ticket packages are $110. Full-time students can get the 10-ticket package for $90.

Priority Pass holders will be able to select the films they want to see beginning at 9 a.m. on Feb. 1. 10- and 20-ticket pass holders can select films beginning at 9 a.m. on Feb. 8. Individual film tickets go on sale to the general public on Feb. 15.

A separate ticket is required for the Chicago concert. Single tickets are $65. VIP tickets for the best seats at SPAC and a backstage meet-and-greet with band members before the concert are $100. Only 100 VIP tickets will be sold. Tickets can only be purchased online (www.sedonafilmfestival.org) or at the Mary D. Fisher Theater Box Office, 2030 W. Highway 89A.

Sedona International Film Festival memberships also are available beginning at $65 for a basic membership. Family memberships for up to four family members living in the same household are $130. Additional membership packages include Cinematographer ($275), Screenwriter ($550), Producer ($1,200), Director ($2,500), Auteur ($5,000), Marquee ($10,000), Executive Producer ($15,000), Indie Angel ($25,000) and Film Star ($50,000). Benefits are commensurate with membership-fee levels. Full information is available on the website.

Packages, other than for full-time students, are available online at www.sedonafilmfestival.org or through the Festival Box office at (928) 282-1177. Student packages must be purchased through the Box Office and student ID’s are required.

Documentary Feature Films: 3 1/2 Minutes, 10 Bullets; An Act of Love; Antarctic Edge; The Armor of Light; The Ataxian; Censored Voices; The Chinese Mayor; Decoding B'aqtun; Deep Web; (Dis)Honesty: The Truth About Lies; Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon; Fear No Fruit; Frame by Frame; A Good American; Grazers: A Cooperative Story;The Great Alone; How to Change the World; The Human Face of Big Data; Huntwatch; In Defense of Food; In My Father's House; India's Daughter; Ingrid Bergman in Her Own Words; The Keepers; Landfill Harmonic; My Love, Don't Cross That River; No Home Movie; Now More Than Ever: The History of Chicago; Omo Child: The River and the Bush; Once Upon A Dream; One Rock Three Religions; The Pearl Button; Peggy Guggenheim: Art Addict; Prophet's Prey; Right Footed; The Russian Woodpecker; Something Better to Come; Still Dreaming; Stink!; The Student Body; (T)ERROR; To the Moon and Back; Very Semi-SeriousWelcome to Leith; When Giants Fall; Wings of the Dharma; A Woman Like Me; Women He's Undressed.

Narrative Feature Films: 6 Angry Women; The Adderall Diaries; American Graffiti; The Answer; Baby (A)lone; Baby, Baby, Baby; Benjamin Troubles; Boy Upside Down (Aikuisten poika); Burning Bodhi; Coming Through The Rye; Dating Daisy; Despite the Falling Snow; Dominick and Eugene; Echo Lake; Evan's Crime; The Fencer; Flowers; For the Coyotes; The Girl in the Book; The Girl King; How to Win Enemies; Hybrids; I Dream Too Much; In Harmony; Is That A Gun In Your Pocket?...; Keep in Touch;

Documentary Short Films: Anna; First Degree; The Forecaster: A Message From The Backcountry; Good Business; Keep It Grand; One Seven Eight: Forging a Balance; A Simple Machine: The Life and Death Of The La Grave Cablecar.